Korean steakhouse Drim Gold opens at Weave Sentosa, serving up Hanwoo beef and Jeju black pork

Those looking for a hearty Korean meal in Singapore would probably head straight for Tanjong Pagar, our self-professed Korea Town, with rows of restaurants dishing up different variations of K-fare. 

In recent months, however, it seems like anywhere in Singapore is fair game, with Gochu’s opening at Orchid Country Club, Jeju Haenyeo’s debut at The Arts House, and Kott-Don 360 at PLQ Mall — one of the few K-BBQ concepts within a shopping mall. 

The folks behind Gochu — best known for its cave-themed interiors — are following suit, with the all-new Drim Gold at Weave Sentosa, which opened earlier this year.

Much like Gochu, Drim Gold sports a similar cave-inspired interior, but its offerings are anything but basic.

Drim Gold is serving up a more premium Korean steakhouse experience — think premium meats such as Hanwoo beef, Jeju black pork, and luxurious private rooms, complete with a dedicated server who’ll grill the meats for you.

If you find the name familiar, it’s because the group also has a concept called Drim at Mandarin Gallery, which opened in late 2023. The name “Drim” comes from the Korean word “deurim”, which conveys respect and heartfelt sincerity. 

In the two years since Drim first opened, the group behind the concept — Initia Group — has gone on to launch several more viral restaurants, such as Korean ginseng chicken soup spot Modu, chicken K-BBQ restaurant Song Gye Ok’s debut in Singapore, and most recently, Gochu.

This might explain why when I first step into Drim Gold at Weave, it feels like all the best parts of these brands have come together, but in a more grown-up and elevated fashion. 

Located at the basement floor of the complex at Resort World Sentosa, Drim Gold is enthralling from the get-go, starting from the short, cave-like passageway you have to walk through upon your arrival. 

And once you’ve gone past that, through its tall, warm-timber doors, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into something right out of Seoul’s cultural and historic Anguk area. 

Drim Gold’s interior may have adopted the cave-like elements of Gochu, the clean wooden finishings of Modu, and the communal, staff-manned grills of Drim and Song Gye Ok, but nothing feels hastily cobbled together or out of place. 

Perhaps it’s the soft mood lighting, or the floor-to-ceiling windows, which lets in a good amount of sunlight, but it’s safe to say, this is one of the group’s most eye-catching concepts, yet. (And yes, it’s great for the ‘gram, too.)

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It’s not all just aesthetics. There’re a wide variety of seating options, too: Counter seats for solo diners or smaller groups, bigger tables for larger groups, and elegantly designed private rooms for those craving a more intimate experience. 

K-BBQ, but make it luxurious

Much like its interior, Drim Gold’s menu features the best of all its sister concepts, albeit with a stronger focus on more premium meats and seafood, such as Hanwoo beef and Jeju black pork and abalone, and Korean eel. 

And unlike regular K-BBQ restaurants, grills don’t take centrestage here, even though Drim Gold positions itself as a Korean steakhouse.

Instead, they’re located at the head of each table, and will be manned by its own crew, so you can still see the action up-close, without having to make sure your meats don’t burn, or worry about smoky smells and oil splatters.

You can get anything from a Hanwoo short rib (S$102 for 100g), to an Australian wagyu oyster blade (S$68 for 100g) and a more wallet-friendly USDA prime short rib (S$58 for 100g). 

There’s premium pork, too — you can get Jeju pork belly, pork collar, and pork jowl all at S$38 per 100g of meat, aside from iberico pork jowl (S$36 for 100g). 

K-BBQ diners are required to order a minimum of two portions — a fair compromise, given that a dedicated server would come and cook your ordered meats at your tableside grill to your desired doneness.

And they’re really skillful at it, too. I expected myself to gravitate towards the Hanwoo beef more, but the freshness of the Jeju black pork, coupled with the server’s expertise, made the pork a really enjoyable dish. 

Luxe Korean and seafood dishes to complement

You can also have a meal at Drim Gold without opting to have grilled items, though. There’s a selection of appetisers and other items, including beef tartare (there’s both wagyu and Hanwoo variations at S$43 and S$65 respectively), pancakes, hot pot, and Korean noodles. 

In a nod to the restaurant’s home on Sentosa island, seafood features quite prominently, too. 

There’s the scampi with kimchi (S$77), featuring flame-torched fresh, raw scampi, served with a kimchi XO sauce. The soy-marinated raw shrimp (S$36) is also a good go-to — the shrimp used here, as with the scampi dish, is impeccably fresh.

As someone who loves raw marinated seafood, seeing this was also a pleasant surprise, given that most Korean establishments here serve raw marinated crabs, instead.

The butter-grilled Jeju abalone (S$88) is also a less-often-seen dish in Singapore that we really enjoyed. Here, Jeju abalone is grilled with butter, served alongside cut-up oyster mushrooms, topped with a light dusting of cheese. 

Jeju abalone isn’t quite like the ones you’d usually enjoy at most Chinese restaurants — it’s generally tougher and enjoyed for its crunch, so getting it to a tender consistency takes skill, and in this regard, Drim Gold has done well. 

There are also pancakes on the menu, such as buckwheat cabbage pancake (S$28) and water parsley pancake (S$34), which you might recognise from Drim and Modu’s menu.

The Korean steamed kimchi with pork rib (S$82) is just like the version you’d find at Gochu, but if you want something different, then opt for the eobok-jaengban (S$138).

It’s an eyecatching traditional Korean dish, featuring beef brisket simmering in a shallow pot of beef broth, which is traditionally used to welcome guests. 

Drim Gold’s version comes with Hanwoo beef brisket and beef shank, and assorted vegetables. While pricey, it’s a hefty item, and can be shared with two to three others

And once you’re done with your K-BBQ, you’ll want to dive into its 100% buckwheat noodles, all handmade in-house and made with pure buckwheat, making it gluten-free and not too cloying.

It’s been a while since I last had Drim’s noodles, but they’re just as good as I remembered — the noodles are al dente, not too chewy, with a good amount of bite, and have a light nuttiness to them.

There’re four types of noodle dishes, but the popular ones are the chilled Korean (S$28) and the Drim signature (S$33) variants. The former comes with a chilled homemade meat broth, while the latter is a cold “dry” version, doused with aromatic perilla seed oil.

Whatever your choice, it’s clear there are no shortage of tasty options at Drim Gold.

Drim Gold at Weave Sentosa may be quite the trek, its interior, vibes, and warm, attentive crew have already got me mentally planning my next visit back.

You’ll definitely want to swing by, even for a simple stew, if you ever find yourself at Weave Sentosa to check out its interior, especially if you love unique dining concepts and Korean fare. 

This was a hosted tasting.

For more spots around Sentosa to dine at, check out Laurus Table, RWS’ new seafood-focused Italian restaurant and Moutarde and Sundae Royale, two casual concepts by a Michelin-lauded and World’s 50 Best chef.